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Namangan

Namangan (Uzbek: Namangan / Наманган; Russian: Наманган) is the second-largest city in Uzbekistan (2011 pop. 449,200). It is the capital of Namangan Province, in the northern edge of Fergana Valley of north-eastern Uzbekistan.
Namangan is about 300 km east of Tashkent, about 65 km west of Andijan, and about 75 km north of Fergana. It is located 1561 feet (476 meters) above sea level. The Qoradaryo and Naryn Rivers join together to form the Syr Darya just outside the southern edge of the city.

The city takes its name from the local salt mines (in Persian: نمک‌کان namak kan).[citation needed]. Namangan, like other cities in the Fergana valley, was originally populated by the Sogdian people, later becoming a Persian/Tajik speaking city. The influx of the Turkic people into the region starting in late medieval times led to gradual turkification of the region and the city. However, until the middle of the 19th century, Namangan still had a Tajik majority. Today, the city is an Uzbek/Turkic speaking city, albeit with a large Persian speaking Tajik minority. To the immediate north of the city, in the valleys of Kasansai and the ancient town of Akhsikat/Akhsikath/Akhsi, the population is still Tajik and Persian speaking. In fact, Akhsikat is the most northerly Persian speaking town in the world. The rise of Namangan was due primarily to the hard earthquake that largely destroyed Akhsikat, leading to its surviving population moving down river to Namangan.